Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, is a rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard and Vibe in 2023. In 2008, Jay Z started his own record label, Roc Nation. Roc-A-Fella Records was responsible for launching the careers of Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Kanye West. In 1997, Jay-Z and his co-founders sold half of Roc-A-Fella to Def Jam for a reported $1.5 million.
Jay-Z's first major investments was in Uber. At the time, the ride sharing app was only three years old and nothing like the multi-billion dollar company it is today. In 2013, Hov purchased a $2 million stake in Uber, according to XXL. His champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, is worth an estimated $310 million; his income as part owner of the cognac brand D'Ussé clocks in at $100 million; and his Roc Nation entertainment and sports management agency at $75 million. Roc Nation Sports' roster includes premiere athletes such as LaMelo Ball, Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Kevin De Bruyne, Vini Jr., Rashod Bateman, Dez Bryant, Danny Green, Rudy Gay, Todd Gurley, Jaire Alexander and Ronnie Stanley. ESPN reported that the first deal between Roc Nation and the NFL struck in 2019 was worth $25 million.
Jay-Z's partnership with the NFL through Roc Nation has significantly transformed the Super Bowl halftime show, often criticized for introducing more explicit content, which some see as a decline in decency. The deal aimed to diversify entertainment and focus on social justice, but it's led to performances that have pushed boundaries.
Since Roc Nation took over, halftime shows have featured more hip-hop and R&B artists, leading to performances with themes and choreography some consider too risqué for a family audience. Critics argue this shift has prioritized spectacle and shock value over traditional entertainment.
Specifically, his wife, Beyoncé's involvement in the halftime shows has been financially lucrative. She reportedly earned around $20 million for her performances, highlighting how these high-profile gigs can be significant for artists' earnings, though this figure is based on posts found on X rather than official confirmations. Back in 2015, she performed at a private Uber function, where her husband is a significant investor, in exchange for a $6 million equity stake. Tony West, Kamala Harris campaign official and brother-in-law was on leave from being Uber's Chief Legal Officer. a report started doing the rounds that Beyonce took $10 million from Harris campain for a Houston rally apperance. Beyoncé's mother has denied this payment.
In 1999, Jay Z was arrested for stabbing young record executive Lance Rivera. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Jay-Z opened up about his past, admitting that he was dealing drugs to make ends meet. When Jay-Z was 12 years old, he said, he admitted to shooting his brother, Eric, after he stole one of the rapper's rings. In April of 2001, Jay-Z and three other men were arrested outside a Manhattan nightclub and held on charges of illegal gun possession.
An Alabama woman who says she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs when she was 13 can proceed anonymously, for now, in her lawsuit against the rap moguls, a New York federal judge ruled. In her written order, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres said the woman can proceed anonymously at this early stage of the litigation, but she may be required to reveal her identity at a later date, if the case proceeds. That would allow defense lawyers to collect facts necessary to prepare for trial. Torres also cited "substantial interest" from the public.
In return, Jay-Z filed a complaint in Los Angeles court against Tony Buzbee — a Texas-based lawyer representing the woman who claims the rapper and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped her at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000 when she was 13. In his complaint, Jay-Z accuses Buzbee of defamation and “naked extortion.” Jay-Z, who filed the complaint under his given name, Shawn Carter, claims that Buzbee sent him allegations of false sexual abuse against him along with written demands.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth grew up in a high-crime area of Compton, California, where his parents had moved to escape a violent milieu in Chicago. He began writing rhymes as a young teenager, and he released his first mixtape, 'Youngest Head N*gga in Charge' (2003), under the name K. Dot. Kenrick is accused of murder when he was 16, which he admitted to on MTV.
"These are my experiences. When I say "gangbangin' made me kill a n*gga blacker than me, this is my life I'm talking about. I'm not speaking to the community, or of the community. I am the community."
Despite the star power, Super Bowl performers don't get paid hefty sums. In fact, the NFL doesn't directly pay its halftime artists. According to Forbes, performers like Lamar will receive a mere $1,000 a day on a union scale—far from the multi-million dollar salaries NFL players pull in. That was true for Eminem, Lady Gaga, Reba McEntire, Dre Dre and Snoop Dogg among many unpaid others.
While the shows have been culturally significant, showcasing a broader spectrum of artists, the move towards more adult-oriented themes during family viewing times has been contentious. This has sparked debates on appropriateness and the NFL's commitment to its diverse audience.
While Jay-Z's deal aimed at cultural representation and social change, it has also faced backlash for potentially compromising the family-friendly nature of the halftime show, alongside providing substantial financial benefits for involved artists like Beyoncé.
When the 2023 Grammy’s featured Sam Smith’s demonic performance and was sponsored by Pfizer, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote “And the Satanic Church now has an abortion clinic in NM that requires its patients to perform a satanic ritual before services. American Christians need to get to work”. The 2024 Grammy Awards had 16.9 million viewers, the highest number of viewers since 2020, a 34% increase from the previous year's ceremony.
The 2024 Super Bowl was the most watched NFL championship in history with 123 million people tuning in. To excite fans for the start of the season, the NFL recently unveiled its season-long brand campaign for 2024, titled “This Is Football Country." The campaign highlights the passion and community spirit that football cultivates, while celebrating the unifying power of the game around the world. The NFL being a global cultural phenomenon needs to remember its American family friendly values of "community spirit" and its young audience when booking halftime acts now and in the future. Dealing with Roc Nation won't change that any time soon.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
